“Zama zamas are fuelling an illicit economy arguably more dangerous than any of the others, including illegal tobacco. Apart from the environmental damage they cause, their operations support human trafficking, gunrunning, and – as Sunday’s insert reveals – rampant poaching. Intersperse that with losses to the fiscus, running gun battles with their rivals, and general lawlessness, and you get a sense of the scale of this criminal enterprise and the urgency required to deal with it.”
– John Webb, Executive Producer
Ghost Inventory
A criminal syndicate is allegedly operating inside the very department responsible for safeguarding Johannesburg’s police firearms, ammunition and protective equipment. Insiders claim senior officials and private suppliers manipulate tenders, stock records, and payments to hide under-deliveries of essential equipment. Meanwhile, officers on duty seemingly depend on second-hand protective gear, while questions are raised about where their service firearms disappear to over weekends. It’s allegedly costing the City millions – and putting lives in danger on the job. If the people responsible for enforcing the law are themselves accused of breaking it, who holds them accountable?
Producer: Sasha Schwendenwein | Presenter: Govan Whittles
The Cost of Gold
Two years ago, we exposed the scale of the illegal gold mining transforming Mpumalanga. Historic towns under siege, natural landscapes destroyed, communities living in fear. Now, we return to find the crisis spiralling into armed conflict. One community is literally caught in the crossfire, as gun battles between rival groups of zama zamas shut down the national highway. In nearby Kaapsehoop, the threat is closing in on another vulnerable target: the town’s iconic wild horses. Trail cameras capture dozens of illegal miners entering the conservancy, and last year four horses were poached for meat. Are authorities helpless to prevent illegal mining endangering the last of an iconic herd?
Producer: Graham Coetzer | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
Stolen Screens
An independent local filmmaker thinks she’s found an international audience for her work – only to discover that someone has beaten her to it. A popular network is streaming unlicensed content to homesick expats. And it’s far from an isolated case. Industry research suggests that around a quarter of South Africans have watched pirate video services. It might feel like a victimless crime, but it costs our creative and broadcast industry hundreds of millions every year. Carte Blanche examines the extent and impact of an international criminal enterprise, and finds out why it matters.
Producer & Presenter: Marion Edmunds
MISSED THESE MOMENTS?
Sidney Hill:
Unlikely Hero
With a military background and 25 years in private security, Sidney Hill’s life has always been defined by more than just fighting crime.
Chrome Crisis:
Don’t Snitch
Illegal chrome mining has devastated parts of Limpopo’s Sekhukhune District. It has escalated into a battle over land, with illegal mining syndicates vying for access to rich deposits – even when located directly beneath people’s homes.
Witrand Horrors:
Refusing Accountability
What really happened to long-term Witrand patient Julie McCarthy in 2020? Staff claim she choked on a sweet, but her sister insists a serious head wound and extensive bruising tell a far more sinister story.
Unlikely Hero:
Not a Movie
“I don’t see myself as a hero. I see myself as a dad looking after his child.” Call him a hero or South Africa’s John Wick, but for Sidney Hill, it was purely about defending his family.
Witrand Horrors:
In Safe Hands?
In June this year, long-term Witrand Psychiatric Ward patient Quinton du Plessis was found naked and severely bruised beside his bed. His sister, Colette, suspects he was silenced. Witrand management denies any wrongdoing.
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